Hardin ready to rebound with strong 2013 season

By David Berry

Published 7:00 am, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Hardin quarterback Jameson Estep gets ready to throw the ball during the Hornets' practice in preparation for Friday nights game at Hull-Daisetta
Photo: David Berry

Hardin quarterback Jameson Estep gets ready to throw the ball...

Hardin head coach Walter Fortune walks around during practice as his Hornets prepare for this Friday night's game at Hull-Daisetta.
Photo: David Berry

Hardin head coach Walter Fortune walks around during practice as...

The Hardin Hornets football team practices in preparation for this Friday night's game at Hull-Daisetta. Hardin is looking to rebound from a 1-9 season in 2012.
Photo: David Berry

The Hardin Hornets football team practices in preparation for this...

The Hardin Hornets football team practices in preparation for this Friday night's game at Hull-Daisetta. Hardin is looking to rebound from a 1-9 season in 2012.
Photo: David Berry

The Hardin Hornets football team practices in preparation for this...

Hardin head coach Walter Fortune yells instructions to his players during practice on Tuesday afternoon. The Hornets were preparing for its season opener on Friday night at Hull-Daisetta
Photo: David Berry

Hardin head coach Walter Fortune yells instructions to his players...

Hardin head coach Walter Fortune talks to the team after practice. The Hornets will play at Hull-Daisetta this Friday night.
Photo: David Berry

Walter Fortune says his team got blessed with nice weather for Monday's practice.

On Tuesday, in response to the heat that showed back up, the second-year Hardin head coach made sure to push his players that much harder, urging them to push through the physical and mental fatigue of a hot practice. The Hornets will begin its season on riday nigth when they travel to neighborhood rival Hull-Diasetta for a 7:30 p.m. start.

"They were pushing through the barrier," said Fortune, describing the figurative wall that players hit during a hot and intense practice. "Whenever their mind is trying to tell them to shut down, you have to fight through that barrier. We tell them not to try to survive practice, conquer practice."

The Hornets will also try to conquer a playoff spot in District 10-2A-DI, which Fortune calls "one of the toughest districts in the state of Texas," at the 2A classification. This season comes on the heels of a 2012 season in which Hardin went 1-9. Despite the struggles, the Hornets lost four of those games by 14 points or less and two by nine points or less.

Junior linebacker Zane Drake is one of eight defenders returning that started last season and says the difference between the losses in 2012 and potential wins in 2013 came from the weight room.

"We weren't as strong as we will be this year," Drake said. "We had a big offseason and I think the weight room will really make the difference with those extra yards and turnovers. We're close."

The offense also returns eight starters and has the potential to be one of the best in the district. Quarterback Jameson Estep returns under center, and running back Ta'Roy Delahoussaye returns for his senior season after earning second-team all-district honors in 2012.

Delahoussaye is ready for the team to break through.

"(It's) just another chance to do good again," Delahoussaye said. "Hopefully we'll do better this year."

Even with the hope for an improved season, Fortune has been realistic with his players. With Class 2A No. 1 ranked Newton at the top of the district, the team will more than likely be fighting for one of the remaining three playoff spots in 10-2A-DI.

But Fortune knows that if his team does make the playoffs, they would have earned it.

"We know we have a tough district," Fortune said. "It's any given Friday night. If you make the playoffs coming out of our district, you're battle-tested to face anybody in the playoffs. Everybody wants to be a state champion, but you have to make the playoffs first."